Mechanism for dispensing powdered materials



Sept. 26,1944. w J, DQBK|N 2,358,913,

MECHANISM FOR DISPENSING POWDERED MATERIAL- FiledAug. 15-, 1941 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 I INVENT l V/ZZ/AM Dog/(0v ATTORNEY Sept. 26, 1944. w. J. DOBKIN 2,358,913

MECHANISM FOR DISPENSING POWDERED MATERIAL Filed Aug. 15, 1941 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 m6 m w s 1 1 m QM. w 1 R. m Q a G a munzmmufli l 1 Q v INVNTOR W/[Z/AM JLDOBK/IV ATTORNEY p 4- I w. J. DOBIKIN MECHANISM FOR DISPENSING POWDER' D MATERIAL 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Fi1ed Aug.- 15, 1941 INVENTOR W/ZZ/AM JfloB/r/A ATTORNEY p 9 w. J. DOBKIN 2,353,913

MECHANISM FOR DISPENSING- POWDERED MATERIAL Filed Aug. 15, 1941 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 llllllllllmm: 10 w ITi: I 104 102 20 INVENTOR 103 106113 B W/ZZ/AM JZDoBK/A/ ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 26, 1944 UNITED STATE-s PATENT OFFICE i MECHANISM FOR DISPENSING POWD'E-RED I MATERIALS William I. Dobkin, Jackson Heights, N. Y., assignor to Mac. B. Feinson,New York, N. Y.

This invention relates to mechanisms for dispensing powdered materials, as for example, the dispensing of powdered soap or the like; It is an object of this invention to provide a mechanism of the character described which will dispense small quantities of a powder from a powder container which will automatically agitate the powder to keep it in condition to be dispensed.

In the dispensing of powder difiiculty is experienced in that, as the powder rests within the container, it tends to settle down and cake, thus powder in a manner to break up the caking tendency and cause the powder to fiow'freely'into the dispensing apparatus.

It is a further object to provide a dispenser of the character described which can be readily attached to a wall and which, when so attached, presents no visible manner in which it can be removed. 7

It is a further object to provide a dispenser of the character described in which, for manufacture, cleansing and repair purposes, the various elements may be readily assembled and disassembled but which nevertheless, when it is intentionally disassembled, will maintain its parts firmly in their'intended places.

It is a further object to provide a mechanism of the character described which will give a warning to the operator when the supply of the 'pos-ition' readyfor operation, keeps all of the external orifices closed against the intrusion of moisture so that, if the powder to be dispensed be of a character Which is more likely to cake because of the presence of moisture, nevertheless such'caking is prevented by keeping the material dry.

It is a further object to provide a dispenser of the character described having means within the dispensing apparatus itself for preventing caking of the powdered material as it passes through the container into the dispensing apparatus.

WOther objects'will in part be obvious and will inpart appear hereinafter. r a

This invention accordingly comprises a machine embodying th features, characteristics and properties'and the relationship of the eleinents which will be exemplified in the machine herein described'and the scope of the application of the invention will be indicated'in the claims. For a fuller'understanding of the nature and objects of the inventiomreference should be had to the following detailed description taken :in connection with the accompanying drawings, in whichzj a Figure 1 is a front elevation of a dispenser embodying this invention.

Figure 2 is a view from a similar position, showing the back supporting plates with the powder container removed.

Figure 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Figure 1, with the device ready for actuation.

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 3, but showing the dispensing element at the end of the ac tuating stroke. I V

Figure 5 is a rear view of the powder container.

Figure 6 is a top plan view of the'mechanism, certain of the parts being broken away.

Figure 7 is a section on the line 1-1 of Figure 3. I

Figure 8 is 'a side elevation of a modified form of the device. I, 1

Figure 9 is an enlarged view, mostly in section, of the operating mechanism.

Figure 10 is a view similar to Figure 9 except that the dispensing element is at the end of the dispensing stroke. r a

Figure 11 is a detail. I

The container I0, carrying at its lower end the dispensing element II, which is so constructed and arranged that by the movement of the dispensing element the container itself is bodily moved.

In the form of the invention disclosed in Figures 1 to 7, there is provideda-wall plate 12 having a portion l3 adapted to rest flat against the wall, and a surroundingfiange l4, within which the powder container is carried. This plate I2 may be attached to the wall by screws [5, or any other suitable manner, and at the'upper end it is provided with a boss I 6 having a female thread to receive a screw [1, for a purpose to be described, at its lower end; and plate I2 is provided with two lugs [8 to receivethe lower ends of a plate 20. This plate 20 has an ofiset portion 2| at its upper end, having an opening 22 for the screw I! so that the plate 2|] may be held in place upon the plate I! by means of the lugs l8 at the bottom and the screw I! at the top. The plate 20 carries at its lower enda circular boss 23 adapted to'receive and center a spring 24 and having a'slot 25 cut through this boss to receive a' latch 26, to be described.

The container l0 comprises the back wall 21 and the front member 28, carrying top and bottom walls 29 and 30 and side walls 3| and 32 which may be weldedto the back wall 21 as shown at 33 to form a closed container. The top wall 29 has a filling opening 29a'closed by a cover member.

Upon the upper end of the plate 20 there is pro vided a pair of spaced ears 35 fitting between 'a similar pair of ears 36 upon the back wall 21, and attached to the back 'edge of the cover 34 there is provided a sleeve 31' adapted to fit between the ears 35. A pin 38'extends through both pairs. of;

ears and the sleeve 3! to hinge the cover and the container and the plate together. The cover 34 is provided with a lock 39.

The container I9 is provided at its lower end with a pair of aligned openings 49 and 4| in the front and rear walls respectively, and at this point the rear wall is dished inwardly as shown at 42 to provide a, space within which certainparts of the operating mechanism may be housed. The cylinder 43 extends through the openings 49 and 4| and is provided with a shoulder 44- The cylinder43 has its inner end threaded both inside and out and upon its exterior is threaded a nut 53, adapted-to bear against the face of the opening 4| to hold the cylinder in place,- and screwed upon the interior end of the cylinder is a. second nut 54, having a flange 55 adapted to withdrawing the piston within the cylinder ready to receive another charge of the powdered material. I

Within the container In there is a pivoted rod 65 upon the pivot 66 in the position to engage a gong 67, being positioned to swing freely. This rod 65, however, extends downwardly within the powdered material 68 within the container and bear against the end of the cylinder and against r the edge of the nut 53 to lock the latter in place. The forward end of the nut 54 is positioned to engage the shoulder 49 and limit the movement of the piston within the cylinder. The otherside 56 of the nut 54 beyond the flange 55 has a cylindrical surface to serve to center the spring 24.

With this construction as assembled, the piston 48 is attached to the boss 23 by the latch 26, whereas the cylinder 43 is fixed upon the container. Thus the spring 24 pressing against the plate 29 and against the flange 55, presses the lower end of the container I9 upwardly until the shoulder 49 engages the face of the nut 54 to restrain further movement. To cushion the contact between this shoulder and the nut there is x preferably provided a dished spring washer 51, between the shoulder 49 and the nut 54.

The upper face of the cylinder 43 within the container I9 is cut away as shown at 58 at a point such that it will be in registry with a cut away portion 59, in the piston, when the dispenser is ready for actuation. As shown, this cut away portion 59, see Figure 11, extends on both sides of the median line, the'outer end of the piston being connected with the inner end by a knife edged portion 69. I

'The'cylinder43, exterior to the container 19,

is provided preferably with a pair of openings 6|, one on each side of the median line, in position to be in registry with the cut away partion 59 of the piston, when the dispensing mechanism is in the actuated position of Figure 4. It will thus be seen that in the position shown in Figure 3, the powdered material will fall into the recess 59, through the cut away portion 58, and

will be thrown to one side or the other by the knife edge portion 69, this action tending to break up any caking of the material. Since, therefore, as the cylinder is pressed inwardly to'bring the cut away portion 59 into registry with the opencannot swing freely so long as there is any substantial quantity of the powdered material within the container. As soon, however, as the quantity of the powdered material has fallen below the lower end of the rod, the rod is caused to Swing at every operation of the dispenser, causing it to strike the gong. This construction causes the rod to functionas a warning signal when the supply of the powdered material runs low.

This device may be assembled upon the wall,

as followsz Eir'st- Thewallplate I2 may be attached to the wall by the screws I5. Thereafter the lower edge ofthe plate .29 may be inserted behind the lugs j I8. Then by mechanically compressing the spring .24 the latch 26 may be caught inside the boss 23 and the spring 24 released, the latch 26 being thereafter held in place .by the spring 24 and its engagement with the boss 23. The upper end of the plate 29, and hence of the depressing mechanism, is secured in place by a screw I1 and Screwedin-to the boss I6.

The dispenser is now in position to be operated, the container I9 being held forward by the spring 26. On pushingin the cylinder 43 which is provided' with a pusher 43a for that purpose, the

whole container is moved about its pivot, causing uresB, 9 and 10 embodies a cylindrical stud I99 supported by and extending downwardly from the wall I9I; and on this side there is slidably mounteda cylinder I92 which carries a screw I93 moveable in a slot I94 upon the stud I99 to limit the sliding motion of the cylinder'and preventing any rotating motion thereof. A small spring I95 may be attached upon the stud I99 by ascrew I96 in position to'engage the screw l93 atthe end of its travel 'to cushion the outward movement of the cylinder.

7 The cylinder I92 carries a threaded cup I91 into which may bescrewed a glass container I98, adapted to receive the powdered material to be dispensed and carrying on its upper end a cover I99 through which it may be filled. A

washer I I9 may be inserted to secure a moisture tight joint between the container I98 and the cup I91.

The cylinder I92 at a point'in registry with theinterior of the glass container is cut away -as's'hownat II I, and at a point in registry with this cut away portion III, when the device'is in a positionof rest the stud I99 is provided with'a cut away portion I I2, which may be similar to the cut away portion, 59 of the previous embodiment.- The-two parts of the stud, on opposite sides of the cut away portion being connected by the knife edge portion II 3, as previously described. The outer end N4 of the-stud I99 is providedwith a recess II5 to receive one end of a. spring II6, the other end of which II I, is carried'within a hollow stud member II8, which closes the outer end of the cylinder. The dished washer II9 may be inserted within the cylinder in position to cushion the contact between the hollow stud us and the end H4 or the stud H10. When the stud H8 is pushed inwar'dl'y at its maximum movement at the close of the depressing stroke, the cylinder I02 is provided with an opening I20 on each side of the median line to receive the discharge from the cut away portion H2, when the stud H8 is depressed.

By the foregoing constructions it would be clear that the powder container is itself mounted to be moved with the depressing element every time the latter is pushed in to cause the depressing operation. Thus the material within the container is consistently shaken up and the tendency to cake is overcome.

Since certain changes may be made in the above construction and different embodiments of the invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

It is also to be understood that the following claims are intended to cover all of the generic and specific features of the invention herein described, and all statements of the scope of the invention which as a matter of language might be said to fall therebetween. 1

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A device of the character described comprising in combinations, container for powder, means for supporting said container to permit a forward and backward movement, thereof, a dispensing mechanism associated with said container to dispense powder during said movement, and having signal mechanism within said container below the normal powder level therein, restrained from operation by the powder, but constructed and arranged to sound a signal in response to each movement wheneverthe powder level falls below said signal mechanism.

2. A device of the character described com:

prising in combination a container for powder, means for supporting said container to permit a forward and backward movement thereof, a dispensin mechanism associated with said con tainer to dispense powder during said movement, and having a mechanism within said container normally free to sound a signal, but held below the normal level of the powder within'said container, and constructed and arranged to be withheld from sounding by the presence of said powder. i I z 3. A device of the character described comprising in combination a container for powder, means for supporting said container to permit a forward and backward movement thereof, a

ton member carried by said support, a cylinder moveable on said piston, a powder container pivoted to said support above said cylinder and mounted on said cylinder, said cylinder and piston having cooperating openings constructed and arranged in one relative position to receive powder into the recess in said piston, and inanother position to discharge said powder to the exterior of said cylinder, spring means for holding the parts in the last mentioned relative posiprising a support, a horizontally disposed pistion.

5. A device in accordance with claim 4 in which the recess in said piston is constructed and arranged to divide the powder falling into it from said container to prevent caking thereof.

6. A device of the character described comprising a container for powder and support therefor, means for hinging the upper edge of said container to said support,. a dispensing mechanism at the lower end of said support having a pair of cooperating elements with all said elements being mounted on said container, and one of said elements being connected to said support whereby movement of said container about said hinge causes the relative movement of said members, spring means for urging the lower edge of said container away from. said support, said members having cooperating recesses constructed and arranged in one relative position thereof to receive powder from said container and in the other relative position to discharge said powder to the exterior.

7. A device of the character described comprisin a container for powder and support therefor, means for hinging the upper edge of said container to said support, a dispensing mechanism at the lower end of said support having a pair of cooperating elements comprising a cylinder attached to said container, and' a piston moving within said cylinder and connected to said support, cooperating recesses in said piston and cylinder constructed and arranged to receive powder into the recess in said piston in one relative position of said members and to discharge the said powder to the exterior in another position of said members, a spring means for urging the lower end of said container away from said support.

8, A device of the character described, comprising a wall plate adapted for permanent attachment to a wall, havinglugs at the bottom thereof, a container having a back plate hinged thereto constructed and arranged to fit under said lugs and to be attached to the upper end of said wall plate by a screw, and spring means for holding the lower end of said container said support, a pair of dispensing elements disposed below said container-supporting means [and having cooperating openings constructed and arranged in relative positions, and hori- 

